SIFF Program2
SIFF Program2
SIFF Program2
Berlin, 1989. Sascha is a young East German border guard; Franzi a lively young
West German woman who’s just moved into a flat next to Sascha’s watchtower at
the Berlin Wall. It takes only a slight mishap and a selfless act of chivalry - and the
two fall in love. But soon the Stasi believe they are witnessing the start of a revolt and Franzi and Sascha have to find a way to
stand up for their love and strive for the impossible - to bring down the wall …
Maida Lilian Manurung is an idealistic girl who has made a school for street
children at an abandoned house. When an arrogant businessman wants to demolish the building and turn it into a major
shopping mall, he sends engineer, Sakera Motaba. However, Sakera slowly sides with Maida and they struggle to save the house
from demolishment together
Kenjak (Donkey)
By Antonio Nuić / Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina / 2009 / TBA / 90
Producer: Boris T. Matić Screenplay: Antonio Nuić
Cast: Nebojša Glogovac, Nataša Janjić, Ljubomir Kiki Kapor, Tonko Lonza
The Arts House Theatre
16th Apr, 7:00pm
It is 1995, the summer when the war operation Storm will take place in Croatia.
Boro, his wife Jasna and son Luka goes to his home village Drinovci, Herzegovina,
after seven years. He constantly fights with Jasna and doesn't speak at all to his father Paško, whom he blames for his mother's
death. In two weeks in August 1995, Boro will resolve the long-standing dispute with his father, learn to be a better husband and
a father, and in all this a considerable role will be played by a donkey.
Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
By Niels Arden Oplev / Sweden, Denmark, Germany / 2009 / R21 / 152
Producer: Søren Stærmose Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg
Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube
Lido 3
16th Apr, 9:15pm
Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island
owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her uncle is convinced that she
was murdered. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth
Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet’s disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years
ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history.
Shahrbanoo and Sharam’s engagement coincides with the Iraq-Iran war. They
volunteer to serve at the front line as physicians and there, Shahrbanoo goes
missing-in-action. Shahram, saddened and disappointed by the loss, marries
International Shorts
By / / 2010 / TBA / 55
The Arts House Theatre
16th Apr, 9:15pm
no bloody details
Roulette City
By Thomas Lim / Singapore, Macau / 2010 / PG / 74
Producer: Thomas Lim Screenplay: Thomas Lim
Cast: Thomas Lim, Josephine Chai, Annie Loi, Kiu Po-Chung, Chong Si Un
Sinema Old School
16th Apr, 9:15pm
Tak goes to Macau with his uncle Wai to win money at gambling to afford his ill
mother’s operation. They win big at initial tries, but lose it all when Wai runs into
Tak’s former lover, Winnie. Believing he killed Wai in a furied brawl over Wynnie,
Tak is lured into a gamble he cannot refuse: Winnie’s freedom in exchange for
information known to a local policeman, Kin. To gain Kin’s trust, Tak befriends his sister Amanda and unexpectedly falls for her.
As Tak grows closer to the siblings—and Kin inches closer to discovering Tak’s true intentions—Tak must decide where his true
loyalties lie.
SIFF received over 70 submissions this year, and seven finalists were selected. The
finalists will compete in the following awards categories: Best Film Best Director
Best Performance Best Cinematography Special Mention The prize winners will be
announced at the Silver Screen Awards and Gala on 22 April 2010.
To the outside world, Yvonne is a strong, happy and successful woman. But when she returns home to be with her sick mother,
she is forced to make life-changing decisions and the facade that she has carefully constructed begins to collapse.
Wu (Fog)
By Kit Wah-Hui / Hong Kong / 2009 / TBA / 89
Producer: Kit Wah-Hui Screenplay: Kit-Wah Hui Cast: Terence Yin,
Eugenia Yuan, Camy Ting, Joman Chiang, Phat Chan
The Arts House Theatre
17th Apr, 2:00pm
Hong Kong. The 10th Anniversary of its reunification with China. Wai, a young
man suffering from a rare form of amnesia, discovers vital clues to his past that are
deliberately hidden from him. ‘Fog’ follows Wai as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption.
After his father is killed by the Russian Mafia, 14 year old Rustam becomes the head of the family and heads to the city to search
for a job. There he earns money for the family and discovers his dream of becoming a musician. However, a gang who demand a
portion of his earnings soon appear and cause trouble for Rustam.. The film’s title refers to an Azerbaijani fairytale about saving a
princess from a house with 40 doors, of which no one has succeeded in opening the last. Its secret, thus, remains forever hidden.
In the southeast region of Turkey, a 25-year war has made everyday life hell for the
Altun family. One of the sons, a soldier, meets his guerilla brother head-on in
battle. Their youngest brother has been legless since stepping on a landmine. Another Altun son, the young Kadri, has had to
suppress his gender orientation. When they are forced from the land, Kadri finally finds the freedom to express his sexuality.
However, moving to the city does not mean they have escaped all their troubles…
Second Moon
By Masahiro Sugano / USA / 2009 / M18 / 90
Producer: Sanghoon Lee Screenplay: Masahiro Sugano Cast: Andre Ing,
Jennifer Shin, Jim Finn
Q is a star agent of “Art of Love’, an underground organisation that helps rich housewives cheat on their husbands. Don Jim, the
guru, demands his agents pursue multiple sexual relationships at all times. One day Q runs into M, a transient young woman
from Korea. M falls ill and Q provides care, which awakens Q’s long surpressed feelings. Now he must take a stand. Free love or
one love?
Over the summer break, Zhi Wen decides to move out of his parents’ house to live
with two friends. After discovering that Ah Pin and Mark are professional bicycle thieves, Zhi Wen slowly finds himself
entrapped in a strange world of vice and deception. A magical personality game they play will finally cause them to switch
identities with one another. The film is the tale of the three little pigs set in the modern landscape of urbanised Singapore. Will
the three little pigs live happily ever after?
Benoit, a confused 30 year-old young man, makes a living stealing cars, and Jimmy,
a teenager, tries to live it up with his depressive mother. Benoit finds comfort in the
arms of a different woman every night while Jimmy craves for his attention and starts considering him as his father.
This Is Love
By Matthias Glasner / Germany / 2009 / TBA / 107
Producers: Matthias Glasner, Jurgen Vogel, Lars Kraume, Frank Dohmann
Screenplay: Matthias Glasner Cast: Corinna Harfouch, Jens Albinus, Lisa
Nguyen, Jurgen Vogel
Lido 5
17th Apr, 7:00pm
[ Special Programmes ] German Film Focus
After Chris rescues 9 year old Jenjira from human traffickers, they go on the run from the Mafia. When Chris is accused of
murder, he meets Maggie a withdrawn police inspector with an alcohol problem. In countless interrogations, the two get to know
each other better and confess their hidden fears and dangerous desires to each other.
Santina
By Gioberto Pignatelli / Italy / 2009 / TBA / 77
Producers: Marco Federici Solari, Gioberto Pignatelli Cast: Diego Guerra,
Monica Perozzi, Matteo Lolli, Iaia Forte
Sinema Old School
17th Apr, 7:00pm
Ancient Greek Zombies! A low budget genre film with zombies, ancient Greek
warriors and Billy Zane.
Dooman River
By Zhang Lu / South Korea, France / 2009 / M18 / 89
Producer: Guillaume de Seille Screenplay: Zhang Lu Cast: Cui Jian, Yin Lan,
Li Jinglin, Lin Jinlong, Jin Xuansheng
Lido 5
17th Apr, 9:15pm
[ Silver Screen Awards ] Asian Feature Film Competition
Twelve-year-old Chang-ho befriends a North Korean refugee of the same age who
has just crossed the river border between North Korea and China. Chang-ho's mute sister, Soon-hee, and his wise grandfather in
turns get to know the boy and they become embroiled in a series of misfortunes.
Magma
By Pierre Vinour / France / 2009 / M18 / 99
Producer: Aurélie Bordier Screenplay: Pascal Mieszala, Pierre Vinour Cast:
Natacha Règnier, Mehdi Nebbou, Arly Jover, Aurélien Recoing
Lido 3
17th Apr, 9:15pm
During a conference at a remote hotel in the region of Auvergne, Paul Neville, who
is married, gets involved in an affair with the woman staying in the next room. The
same day that the two lovers decide to leave everything behind to be together, the young woman disappears and Paul
immediately falls under suspicion.
‘Lessons of the Blood’ focuses on the history and victims of Japanese biological warfare. It tells the story of how and why the
Japanese military deployed biological weapons in Zhejiang Province, China, and of how the surviving victims have been coping
with the attacks since 1942.
Menteur (Liar)
By Tom Geens / Belgium / 2008 / TBA / 78
Producer: John Engel Screenplay: Tom Geens Cast: Jean-Benoit Ugeux,
Christelle Cornic
Lido 3
18th Apr, 2:00pm
Antoine is treated like an idiot by his own family. He quits his job but pretends to
be still employed and applies for managerial jobs far beyond his reach. In order to keep his family in the dark, he starts lying, and
lying, and lying…
9:06
By Igor Sterk / Slovenia / 2009 / TBA / 71
Producer: A.A.Productions Screenplay: Sisina Dragin, Igor Sterk
Lido 5
18th Apr, 2:00pm
In Ljubljana, a police inspector investigates an unusual case. His investigation turns into an obsession as he secretly moves into
the apartment of the deceased, delving deeper into the man’s life and gradually assuming his identity.
Driving Miss Daisy’ tells the story of Daisy Werthan, a 72-year-old widow, and Hoke Colbum, her African-American driver in a
time where racism and prejudice permeated the American Deep South. Over the course of 20 years, the two slowly develop an
incredible friendship that transcends their differences.
Smith comes to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to tie up some loose ends. He meets Link, a tour guide, who agrees to help him. Along
the way, they are offered help by Abdul, a gravedigger, and Toatoa, a metal scavenger, who themselves are searching for answers
to their own journeys. Their search eventually leads them to realise that this is a never-ending journey of dreams and
disappointments. This film is also part of the SINGAPORE PANORAMA section.
Blaise Dumas, war correspondent for Frontline Reporters, covers an armed conflict
in Eastern Europe. When he wakes from a temporary coma in his home town of
Quebec City, Blaise discovers that his long time collaborator and photographer has
not come back with him. He then sets out to recapture the events that led to his
friend’s disappearance and his own narrow escape from the war zone.
A dynamic shooting style, pitch-perfect written street lingo and a transfixing dog-eat-dog story form the essence of this exciting
first feature about two friends who get into deep trouble in Istanbul's chaotic underground scene. At times funny, at time tragic,
this film is, fore mostly, jolting in its authenticity and does for Istanbul what Scorsese did for Little Italy.
Asian Shorts
By / / 2010 / TBA / 68
The Arts House Theatre
18th Apr, 4:15pm
no bloody details
Sex Volunteer
By Cho Kyeong-Duk / Korea / 2009 / R21 / 123
Producer: Cho Kyeong-Duk Screenplay: Cho Kyeong-Duk Cast: Han Yeo-
Rum, Cho Kyeong-Duk, Hong Sung-ki
Sinema Old School
18th Apr, 4:15pm
[ Silver Screen Awards ] Asian Feature Film Competition
Chun-Guil is a born handicap who cannot use his arms or legs. Knowing his death
is imminent, Chun-Guil confesses to a priest that he wants to feel a sexual pleasure
in his lifetime. Despite the moral and social ambiguity, the priest introduces him to Ye-Ri, a girl who volunteers her sexual
services. Should sex volunteering, sex without profit or love, be chastised by the religion, society and law?
After his mother checks into a psychiatric ward for her alcohol problem and his
father commits suicide, an eleven year old child, not wanting to go to an orphanage,
covers up the suicide and spends two weeks alone with the corpse of his father…
Isabelle is a teacher. Bruno is a thief. Together, they start believing they can find
happiness. The day the police tightens the noose around him, Bruno runs away,
taking Isabelle along with him. In the forest, they hide and love each other,
timelessly, in an ultimate attempt to keep the violence of the world away.
Stolen
By Violeta Ayala, Daniel Fallshaw / Australia / 2009 / PG / 77
Producers: Tom Zubrycki, Violeta Ayala, Dan Fallshaw, Deborah Dickson
Screenplay: Violeta Ayala, Daniel Fallshaw
Sinema Old School
18th Apr, 7:00pm
Filmmakers Violet Ayala and Dan Fallshaw travel to North Africa intending to
make one film only to discover a hidden truth that takes them on a journey they
could never have imagined. ‘Stolen’ follows the story of a Sahawari refugee
separated from her mother since she was toddler and reunited through a UN family reunion program. The reunion reveals a
secret and the film quickly spirals into another world. This story is all the more frightening because it is true.
Jonathan Vogel would like to turn back the clock and undo the accident that led to his disability and destroyed his life. When he
learns that Stivlas Karr, a well-known professor and geneticist has developed a gene therapy for regenerating the human body, he
makes an appointment with him. However, the therapy does not go according to plan and leads to unexpected results.
Veteran detective Kuo is in charge of case of drug overdose and death of a young
girl. Superiors see it as a textbook crime and urge him to conclude the case, but experience and sense tell Juo otherwise. His
investigations lead him to a lively college girl whose innocent appearance is shadowed by an indispensable grudge. And just when
Kuo is on the verge of a breakthrough, his own dark past is brought to light…
Breaker Morant
By Bruce Beresford / Australia / 1980 / TBA / 107
Producer: Matt Carroll Screenplay: Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens, Bruce
Beresford Cast: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, John Waters, Bryan
Brown
Sinema Old School
18th Apr, 9:15pm
[ Special Programmes ] Director's Focus: Bruce Beresford
‘Breaker Morant’ is a 1980 Australian feature film which chronicles the murder trial
and court martial of three Australian Army Liuetenants who are accused of the murder of Boer prisoners during the Second Boer
War. Although they acted under orders, the General Staff of the army are determined to make them scapegoats and obtain a
guilty verdict in a biased trial.
Brethren Arise
2009 / 24 min / Brent Chesanek
Brethren Arise is an abstract narrative tone poem where environments engulf characters at various low points in their lives.
Deathcry (Siren Song)
2009 / 2 min / Chris Rice
An homage to the work of composer and filmmaker Tony Conrad with appropriated video of hair-metal hero/has-been Jim
Gilette (of Nitro)’s scream in place of Conrad’s minimal (though strikingly more Traditional) instrumentation and slow-burn film
work.
Bell Piece # Four / Piano Roll # 22
2009 / 3 min / 1 min/ Pat Spadine / AshCan Orchestra
Aural patterns highlighted with visual accents. Investigating stasis. Several ways to initiate the suspension of disbelief.
Coda
2009 / 3 min / Vincent Grenier
Bird loops with unmasked mirror apprehended by camera in flight, to confront the ideas of spatiality and temporality as a
continuum and unsettle the notion of a universal human experience.
If There Be Thorns
2009 / 13 min / Michael Robinson
A dark wave of exile, incest and magic burns across the tropics, forging a knotted trail into the black hole. Three star-crossed
siblings wander in search of one another as a storm of purple prose and easy listening slowly engulfs them. Weaving together
texts from Shirley Jackson, William S. Burroughs and Stevie Nicks, the patchwork narration and aggressive sound design both
inform and complicate the symbol-laden imagery, portraying three characters’ struggles across the unstable landscapes of their
respective exiles.
We Are All Here
2009 / 2 min / Yonghwa Choi
New York Avant Cinema Series | 2010: A Look Through David Gatten's Lens
By David Gatten / / 2010 / TBA / 24
The Arts House Theatre
18th Apr, 8:15pm
[ Special Programmes ]
New York Avant Cinema Series | 2010
In his films, over the last 15 years, David Gatten has explored the intersection of the printed word and the moving image, while
investigating the shifting vocabularies of experience and representation within intimate spaces and historical documents.
His work has shown in museums, festivals (New York Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Toronto
International Film Festival, London Film Festival), biennials (NY Whitney Biennial), galleries, archives, access centers, elementary
schools, storefronts, on sides of buildings and once on a barge that was floating down river.
This spring, he is shooting a film along the 1728 North Carolina–Virginia border and teaching at Duke University where he is
growing out his graying beard and buying vintage corduroy in order to live up to his title of ‘Distinguished Visiting Filmmaker’ in
Duke’s Arts of the Moving Image program.
Lumphini 2552
2009 / 3 min / Tomonari Nishikawa
Images are shot by a still camera entirely at Lumphini Park in Bangkok. The hand-
processed visual shows organic patterns found in the monumental park, constructing systematic yet emotional rhythms. The
sound is from visual information on the optical soundtrack that also was captured while taking pictures. Lumphini is named after
‘Lumbini’, a Sanskrit word of the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal, and 2552 is the Buddhist year of 2009.
Interior Variations
2009 / 4 min / Sarah Lipstate
‘Mundane History’ records the life of Ake, a young man confined to his bed after an accident leaves him paralyzed from the waist
down. Ake is being cared for by Pun, a male nurse who is hired by Thanin, the stoic patriarch of the family. Utilising a non-linear
structure, the film focuses on the mundane, almost insignificant details of everyday life. But little by little, we begin to understand
what secrets lie beneath the peaceful façade of Ake’s house…
Neukölln Unlimited
By Agostino Imondi, Dietmar Ratsch / Germany / 2010 / PG / 96
Producer: Arek Gielnik Screenplay: Agostino Imondi Cast: Hassan Akkouch, Lial
Akkouch, Maradona Akkouch
Sinema Old School
19th Apr, 7:00pm
Neukölln Unlimited tells the fast-paced story of three Lebanese siblings Hassan, Lial and Maradona, successful dancers and
musicians who live in Berlin’s notorious district Neukölln. But the three have a problem: Their family is in danger of being
deported out of Germany. Determined to keep the family united, they plan to use their artistic talents to earn enough money to
secure the family’s future and their right to remain in the country they were born in. This film is also part of the GERMAN
FILM FOCUS section.
99¢ Dreams
By Jason Rodi / Canada / 2007 / M18 / 80
Producers: Nomad Industries, Jason Rodi Cast: Jason Rodi, Johnny Ranger,
Thien Vu Dang, Matt K. Wiliston, Pam Schneider, Thomas Csano, Rikke
Elsberg, Karina Rodi
The Arts House Theatre
19th Apr, 7:00pm
‘The Dreamer’ tells the story of Ikal, Arai and Jimbron who leave their village and families in order to continue their education.
They are inspired by their teacher to pursue big dreams, but the humiliation of being poor leads Ikal to anger and not only strains
his friendship with Arai and Jimbron, but it also breaks his father’s heart. Full of tales of marginalization and the heartbreaking
struggle to reach dreams, the film shows the beauty of friendship and the genuine love between a father and child
In 'Mr Sycamore', a middle-aged man suburban real estate functionary wrestles with himself
during rush hour in a netherworld of memory, regret, film scenes, and personal history. 'Spring
Foward' tells the story of two men of different ages and backgrounds who strike up an unlikely
friendship while working together for the local park system. Paul is a short-tempered ex-con
and Murph is an older veteran who faces the impending death of his grown son. Over time,
they open up to each other and learn to share their feelings, regrets and ambitions.
After the fall of Singapore in 1942, a group of women are held as prisoners by the Japanese on the island of Sumatra. Based on
actual events, ‘Paradise Road’ tells the story of how these women band together in the face of guard brutality and the most
adverse of conditions to form a vocal orchestra.
The pawnshop is a vital part of Filipino life, so important that there are over 16,000 pawnshops in the Philippines. An owner and
her appraiser, the security guard, a seaman and a loan shark are among the characters we meet at Olivia’s Pawnshop, a small
fledgling pawnshop in the heart of Tondo in Manila. This pawnshop is not only their place of refuge, but also a metaphor for
their cherished hopes and dreams.
Being in Heaven
By Michael Rowland / Australia / 2009 / TBA / 93
Producer: John Coroneos Screenplay: Michael Rowland Cast: Daniel Whyte, Michael
Domeyko Rowland, Alan Flower, Amber LeStrange
The Arts House Theatre
20th Apr, 7:00pm
Being In Heaven is a journey of revelation and awakening that reveals the truth about meaning,
freedom and personal happiness. The film exposes the influence our beliefs and experiences have on our lives, and demonstrates
that only when we awake the true self can we experience a life of fulfillment.
Australian Shorts
By / Australia / 2010 / R21 / 61
The Arts House Theatre
20th Apr, 9:15pm
no bloody details
Sandhya Rani is an ageing film star who has lost fame and fortune in a changing world. She now ekes out a living by renting out a
room to film and television stars to satisfy their illicit sexual desires. When a popular young film star’s affair in the room is
exposed, the scandal and its publicity thrusts Rani into the spotlight again, forcing her to come to terms with a dark secret from
her past.
Phobidilia
By Yoav and Doron Paz / Israel / 2009 / TBA / 87
Producer: Shai Eines Screenplay: Yoav and Doron Paz, Izhar Har-Lev Cast:
Ofer Shechter, Efrat Baumwald, Shlomo Bar-Shavit, Efrat Dor
The Arts House Theatre
21st Apr, 7:00pm
A coincidental meeting between a soldier and a critically wounded Army Officer in a dark forest burning with war between the
Sri Lankan state and the Tamil Tigers sparks off a chain of events. At the officer’s death, the soldier somehow feels responsible,
and begins to probe into his life and engages in boundless sacrifices to bring justice to the dead man and in the process he is
redeemed as well.
A primary school teacher tries to solve a problem related to physics: Demonstrating the existence of the constant movement. He
attempts to dig a hole to cross to the other side of the worlds, inviting his students to be part of this dream. His wife, friends and
everybody else will be involved in this strange and seemingly absurd project…
Sixteen years ago, the Zhangs abandoned their young children to find work in the city, consoled by the hope that their wages
would lift their children into a better life. The Zhangs’ daughter is now 17, and feels lost and neglected since her parents are away
all these years. She quits school and comes down to Guangzhou to be a young migrant worker, exactly what her parents were
trying to avoid. Living in the same city but not talking to each other, the family is shattered by years of misunderstanding. The old
tradition of parents making self-sacrifice to better the life of children is brutally challenged by the new social reality. This Spring
Festival, the mother decides to bring the family once again to embark this migrant odyssey to go back, to reunite the family and
to get her daughter back to school. Love and sacrifice didn’t triumph for the past 16 years. Will it succeed this time?
After being discovered by a soccer talent scout, Brothers Beto and Tato Verdusco
move to the city and end up playing for rival teams. A deep animosity develops
between the two and things go further downhill when Beto develops a gambling
addiction and Tato loses focus pursuing a celebrity lifestyle. It is at their lowest moments that the brothers find forgiveness trying
to help each other while casting headlong towards their individual destinies.
A former artist keeps himself going by selling his possessions. He finds himself
exposed to a metamorphosis; he does not see his own reflection in the mirror but
rather the faces of complete strangers. When it turns out that all the people he views are different embodiments of his “Ego”, he
confesses his sins at his parents’ grave asking for help...
German Shorts
By / Germany / 2010 / R21 / 102
Sinema Old School
22nd Apr, 7:00pm
This series features an eclectic mix of four films that are at once whimsical,
gripping and inspiring.
Babylon 2084
Germany / 2009 / 30 min
Director: Christian Schleisiek
Producers: Björn Frieling, Christian Schleisiek, Yvonne Albert
Screenplay: Björn Frieling, Christian Schleisiek
The year is 2084. The world has sunk into the sea. Some of mankind live in two towers which underlie a self-destructing
constraint to grow higher and higher.
Scissu
Germany / 2009 / 27 min
Director & Screenplay: Tom Bewilogua
Producer: Alex Beier
Scissu tells a chronologically split story about a lonely cop and an addicted couple.
Lights
Germany / 2009 / 15 min
Director: Giulio Ricciarelli
Producer: Sabine Lamby
Screenplay: Soern Menning
‘Lights’ is a tragicomedy about a small-town police officer who dreams of being a hero. As his
peaceful village offers no opportunity for heroism, he decides to take matters into his own
hands. He puts up a traffic light on a rarely used bridge in the middle of nowhere, and the fight
begins.
Spielzeugland Endstation (Last Stop Toyland)
Germany /2009 / 30 min
Director, Producer & Screenplay: Daniel Stieglitz
A silent, old and lonesome assassin is caught off guard by a little girl, who thinks he is Santa
Claus and wants to be put to bed. Yet his job is to kill her father. The more he wants to get rid
of the girl, the deeper he gets implicated in her world.
An eerie retelling of the classic horror story, the film tells two parallel stories both involving two sisters. In the first story,
Catherine torments her older sister, Marie-Anne with the scary story of Bluebeard. The parallel story involves Marie-Catherine,
Bluebeard’s latest wife and her attempt to escape the dreadful fate of her predecessors.
Mammoth
By Lukas Moodysson / Sweden / 2009 / M18 / 125
Producer: Lars Jonsson Screenplay: Lukas Moodysson Cast: Gael García
Bernal, Michelle Williams, Marife Necesito
Lido 3
22nd Apr, 9:15pm
Leo and Ellen are a successful New York couple, totally immersed in their work.
Leo is the creator of a booming website, and has stumbled into a world of money
and big decisions. Ellen is a dedicated emergency surgeon who devotes her long
shifts to saving lives. Their 8-year-old daughter Jackie spends most of her time with her Filipino nanny, Gloria, a situation that is
making Ellen start to question her priorities. When Leo travels to Thailand on business, he unwittingly sets off a chain of events
that will have dramatic consequences for everyone.
No bloody details
Khaled is the brother of two young orphan sisters, Rabeya and Rokeya. He joins
the secular Bengalee guerillas and is killed in a skirmish against the Pakistan Army. While the Pakistani Captain orders that his
dead body should not be buried but kept as a warning to all, Rebeya, proceeds one night to attempt to bury her brother’s body…
Cambodia’s garment sector is the country’s main industry and its leading export
revenue earner. Most of the 300 000 employees are young women from rural areas.
Through their work and remittances they often crucially contribute to their family’s
survival in one of the world’s poorest countries. The film looks at the effect of the
2009 global economic downturn through the prism of the workers, union
representatives, entrepreneurs and a female manager
UK Shorts
By / UK / 2010 / M18 / 86
The Arts House Theatre
23rd Apr, 7:00pm
No bloody details
The true story of Nancy Kwan, who as a young Eurasian girl from Hong Kong
became one of the most sought after stars in Hollywood. Unfortunately, the
motion pictures that followed her first two hit films would never again mirror that
initial success. This feature documentary “real life drama” explores what happened to such a promising career as it takes its
audience on a personal journey, a woman’s journey, which is as equally compelling, as it is inspiring.
While driving one day, Veronica hits something and is convinced she has run over a young child. She experiences a peculiar
psychological reaction and begins to have trouble remembering even the basic details of her life.
L'important c'est de rester vivant (Survive: In the Heart of the Khmer Rouge
Madness)
By Roshane Saidnattar / France / 2009 / TBA / 97
Producer: Patrick Dumont Screenplay: Roshane Saidnattar Cast: Roshane
Saidnattar, Khieu Samphan
Sinema Old School
23rd Apr, 9:15pm
This diverse series features a mix of four short films focusing on women characters with such
different lives and backgrounds.
Dry Rain
Hong Kong / 2009 / 29 min Director & Screenplay: Flora Lau Producers: Flora Lau & Connie Tam
Two people cross paths everyday but they hardly know each other. A Filipino domestic helper and her Chinese employer’s son
strike up an unlikely affair, one which forces them to come to terms with their sense of loss and alienation.
Ivadelle
Canada / 2009 / 14 min
Director & Screenplay: Nicole Dorsey
Producer: Karen Harnisch
Isolated and bored by life’s monotonous routines, an elderly woman reclaims her place in the world through a misdemeanor.
Ge.Hen'nah (Gehennah) Lebanon, USA, Switzerland / 2009 / 13 min Director: Mauro Meuller Producer & Screenplay: Ephrem
Kossaify Yvette is past 30, unmarried, devoutly religious and still living with her parents. Before she could go on a retreat, a fight
breaks out between her parents. She tries to intercede, but her father's rage is overwhelming. Can she calm her father? How far
will she go to protect your mother? Day Before Yesterday Canada / 2009 / 12 min Director: Patricia Chica Producers: Sarah
Beckett, Keneth Hirach Screenplay: Sarah Beckett Found unconscious in the middle of the downtown Montreal strip, a woman
was brought to the police station. Does she remember who she is and where she came from? Can anyone else remember?
Disclaimer: The screening venue is a lecture theatre. Stereo audio output is from left-right speakers only.
The film tells the tale of Mumbai city and the millions who get off the train at VT
station every second of the day hoping to latch on to the magic of Mumbai. It is a colourful mural of the lives of individuals from
the city’s diverse cultural, social and economic strata. Their distinct tracks run simultaneously along the film, touching and
crossing each other ever so often, and finally converge towards a unique and exciting climax.
Brecha
By Iván Noel / Spain / 2009 / M18 / 94
Producer: Iván Noel Screenplay: Francisco Alfonsin, Iván Noel Cast: Francisco
Alfonsin, José Ramón Lafita, Lola Mendoza
Lido 3
24th Apr, 11:30am
Set in a beautiful small village in the South of Spain, ‘Brecha’ is a particularly vivid and realistic portrayal of the emotional rupture
between a father recently released from jail and his 12 year-old son, following a dark family tragedy that no one has strength
enough to confront.
A guerilla documentary that follows New York-based dance company Take Dance
in their quest to make a name for themselves during the worst global economic crisis ever.
SIFF received over 70 submissions this year, and seven finalists were selected. The finalists will
compete in the following awards categories: Best Film Best Director Best Performance Best
Cinematography Special Mention The prize winners will be announced at the Silver Screen
Awards and Gala on 22 April 2010.
Dance: In Short
By / / 2010 / TBA / 108
The Arts House Theatre
24th Apr, 1:30pm
[ Special Programmes ] Dance: Movement in Film
NICCOLINI
France / 2009 / 11 min
Director & Screenplay: Kaori Ito
Producer: Providences
The film is about the story of three men who live in a theatre which has been abandoned for 15 years amidst the changes
occurring in the outside world.
A DREAM IN HANOI
Vietnam / 200 / 16
Director,Producer & Screenplay: Gerald Herman
A lonely boy’s life is changed forever when he meets a ballet dancer on the streets of Hanoi.
Lištičky (Foxes)
By Mira Fornay / Slovak, Czech Republic, Ireland / 2009 / TBA / 83
Producer: Victor Schwarcz Screenplay: Mira Fornay Cast: Reka Derzsi, Rita
Banczi, Aaron Monaghan
Lido 3
24th Apr, 2:00pm
When Alzebata, an au-pair from South-East Slovakia decides to stay at her own risk
in Dublin, a secret from her past (Shared with her older sister Tina and Tina’s Irish
fiance Steve) comes back to reveal the truth about the the two sisters and the real
reason they can never escape their home.
‘Window On Your Present’ takes place in a world where colour and love do not
exist. The people in this dreary world have nothing to live for and often end up
killing themselves.
After she has gone through two painful divorces, Ji-Soo is asked to marry Jong-
Woo who suffers from Lou Gehrig’s disease. They start a dream-like marriage
without anyone’s approval. The more they yearn for intimacy, the more they taste
the bitterness of reality. However, the healing power of love enables them to choose the possibility of hope over fear in sickness.
Shirley Adams
By Oliver Hermanus / South Africa, USA, UK / 2009 / TBA / 92
Producers: Jeremy Nathan, Michelle Wheatley Screenplay: Oliver Hermanus
(co-story writer), Stavros Pamballis (co-writer) Cast: Denise Newman,
Keenan Arrison, Emily Childs, Theresa C. Sedras, Lee-Ann van Rooi
Lido 3
24th Apr, 4:15pm
Shirley Adams is the story of one woman’s amazing strength and self sacrifice.
Shirley Adams spends her days caring for her disabled son who was shot in the back of his neck. Since then the Adams family has
lost all their worldly possessions to medical bills. When a young, eager occupational therapist, Tamsin Ranger, comes into their
lives Shirley hopes that it might lift her son’s spirits and finally put them on the path to some form of stability.
P-Star Rising
By Gabriel Noble / USA / 2009 / PG / 86
Producer: Marjan Tehrani Cast: Priscilla Diaz, Jesse Diaz, Solsky Diaz,
Anthony “HUNC” Nixon (All as themselves)
Sinema Old School
24th Apr, 4:15pm
The Paris Opera Ballet is one of the world’s greatest ballet companies. ‘La Danse’ shows how a ballet
company functions from administration, technical support, and classes to the rehearsal and
performance of seven ballets ranging from ‘The Nutcracker’ to ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
The Limits of Control is the story of a mysterious lone stranger, whose activities
remain meticulously outside the law. He is in the process of completing a job, yet he trusts no one, and his objectives are not
initially divulged. His journey, paradoxically both intently focused and dreamlike, takes him not only across Spain but also
through his own consciousness
Two American girls end up end up in an isolated villa when their car breaks down
in the middle of the woods. They awake trapped in a terrifying makeshift basement
hospital along with a Japanese man. Their captor is a retired surgeon specialising in separating Siamese twins. However, his three
“patients” are not about to be separated, but joined together in a horrific operation to connect people via their gastric system,
bringing to life his sick fantasy, “The Human Centipede”.
Dear Doctor
By Miwa Nishikawa / Japan / 2009 / PG / 127
Producer: Etsuhiro Katô Screenplay: Miwa Nishikawa Cast: Tsurube
Shofukutei, Eita, Kimoko Yo, Kaoru Yachigusa, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yutaka
Matsushige, Ryo Iwamatsu, Haruka Igawa, Takashi Sasano, Kanzaburo
Nakamura
Lido 1
24th Apr, 9:00pm
SIFF received over 70 submissions this year, and seven finalists were selected. The finalists will compete in the following awards
categories:
Prizes for Singapore Short Film Competition
* Best Film: Trophy, SGD 2,000, Production Services at Infinite Frameworks valued at SGD 10,000, and 1 set of Media
Composer Software Package valued at USD 2,295
* Best Director: Trophy, SGD 1,500, and 1 set of Media Composer Software Package, valued at USD 2,295
* Best Performance: Trophy and SGD 1,000
* Best Cinematography (Proudly presented by KODAK): Trophy, SGD 1,000, and 15 rolls of 16mm film stock from Kodak
valued at SGD 3,000
* Special Mention: Certificate
The SINGAPORE SHORT FILM COMPETITION shortlist panel are Tan Bee Thiam (Producer, 13 Little Pictures) and Yong
Shu Chiang (Marketing Manager, Singapore Film Society).
Contained
By Harry Zhuang Weifu, Henry Zhuang Weiguo / Singapore / 2010 / PG / 5
A man sets up his containment on an isolated island with his beloved flower.
His obsessive care towards the flower causes it to whither, leading him to
despair.
Mu Dan
By Lincoln Chia / Singapore / 2009 / M18 / 15
Producer: Lincoln Chia Screenplay: Zhuang Yisa, Lincoln Chia Cast: Li Xie,
Johannan Seah, Michelle Ng
In a juxtaposition of reality and fantasy, the film transcends the role of the female
gender as a divorced mother tries to come to terms with her son’s newfound
girlfriend.
Promises in December
By Ho Elgin Tat Chuen / Singapore / 2009 / PG / 17
Producer: Ho Elgin Tat Chuen Screenplay: Karen Tan, Ho Elgin Tat Chuen Cast:
Raymond Yong, Corry Turistiowati, Janice Koh
‘Promises in December’ surrounds two main characters from different
backgrounds: an Indonesian domestic helper and a Singaporean taxi driver. One
December day, their lives interweave abruptly, revealing the sacrifices they each
must face.
DISCOUNTS (ahah!)
$1 discount per ticket purchase: (cannot be used with any other discounts)
* The Arts House
* Singapore Institute of Management(SIM) - SIM Students and Faculty
* Singapore Film Society member